This is a very well put together and informative video! I'm a new rider. I ride an electric motorcycle to cross the George Washington bridge into the city for work. I was not trying to do the gear thing or the noise thing. Just curious what do you think about electric motorcycles?
Lengthy comment ahead! 😅 A lot of it is going to be directed at youngsters who just start out. Re: „Backpack“: Something to look out for is the „inadvertent head butt“ from your friendly backpack when stopping. Especially when they are inexperienced. Also advise them to NOT crane around their neck to see what’s in front. If they are significantly taller than you, all the better - they can look over your head 😂 Re: Gear When it comes to clothes, look for function over form. Sounds like a no brainer but it isn’t. Do not get hung up on looks or brands too much. If something doesn’t work for you, then it doesn’t work and it’s not worth it. If you can’t imagine wearing any item for at least an hour (preferably longer), it’s not the one. Forget about „I can probably make it work“ and „just embrace the suck“. Believe me, you WILL experience some sucky riding and you really, really don’t want your gear to be the main reason for that. I don’t care how amazing it looks. This is true for any piece of gear but especially your helmet and gloves. Go for what this video says 100% when it comes to fitting your helmet. Again, don’t get hung up on brands, as in „I absolutely need a (insert brand here) helmet. If it looks great but has pressure points, you’ll curse that helmet before the end of your first hour long ride. Some brands just aren’t gonna be for you. Also, always remember that you are gonna sit on a bike. So when you try out those new pants, then don’t be put off because the knee pads are sitting more on your shin. That is why there are usually bikes that you can sit on in every store. Use them. Gloves are going to be a challenge for some people. I spent literally two hours in the shop trying on gloves before settling on a model. Same as with helmets, there are going to be gloves that have pressure points, ie from seams on the inside. If those create pressure or are chafing anywhere around your palm or fingers, those areas will go numb over time and/or become painful when the gloves rub and press against your skin. No bueno. Again I don’t care how awesome they may look. Sure, leather has some give in it over time but don’t rely on that. If seams keep pressing on your finger tips, no amount of give is going to „fix“ that. Your hands are your direct link to the bike and you don’t want to compromise that by wearing ill fitting gloves. You know what feels good for you. The rest is irrelevant. I am not a racing bike guy, yet the gloves that fit me best are racing gloves. Do not get too stingy. Sure, you do not have to get a 1000 dollar helmet and a 1500 dollar jacket and 300 dollar boots and whatnot when you are starting out. My first set of riding gear was about 800 bucks total. But you WILL upgrade things over time when things wear out, or you get a good deal on an upgrade or you just decide to treat yourself. For instance, I started out with a chain store brand for my first jacket and pants. Both are still OK. I still wear the jacket in colder weather but have since upgraded the pants to a pair from Modeka. My first boots were discounted entry level boots for around 120 from Held. They were okay boots, comfy and all but after a year of nearly everyday riding, they started to fall apart. So I upgraded to a pair of Daytona Road Star GTXs. Probably the most important piece of advice for brand new young teenage riders: your riding gear will feel different than your normal street clothes. This is normal. It’s not like throwing on shorts, a t shirt and a pair of flip flops and calling it a day. The stuff is there to keep you alive and preventing you from getting road rash or worse. Wear ALL the gear all the time. It might save you from having a really bad day. Seems like another complete new brainer but still. Sorry for the long rambling post! 😅
This is a very well put together and informative video! I'm a new rider. I ride an electric motorcycle to cross the George Washington bridge into the city for work. I was not trying to do the gear thing or the noise thing. Just curious what do you think about electric motorcycles?
Lengthy comment ahead! 😅
A lot of it is going to be directed at youngsters who just start out.
Re: „Backpack“:
Something to look out for is the „inadvertent head butt“ from your friendly backpack when stopping. Especially when they are inexperienced. Also advise them to NOT crane around their neck to see what’s in front. If they are significantly taller than you, all the better - they can look over your head 😂
Re: Gear
When it comes to clothes, look for function over form. Sounds like a no brainer but it isn’t. Do not get hung up on looks or brands too much. If something doesn’t work for you, then it doesn’t work and it’s not worth it. If you can’t imagine wearing any item for at least an hour (preferably longer), it’s not the one. Forget about „I can probably make it work“ and „just embrace the suck“.
Believe me, you WILL experience some sucky riding and you really, really don’t want your gear to be the main reason for that.
I don’t care how amazing it looks. This is true for any piece of gear but especially your helmet and gloves. Go for what this video says 100% when it comes to fitting your helmet. Again, don’t get hung up on brands, as in „I absolutely need a (insert brand here) helmet. If it looks great but has pressure points, you’ll curse that helmet before the end of your first hour long ride. Some brands just aren’t gonna be for you. Also, always remember that you are gonna sit on a bike. So when you try out those new pants, then don’t be put off because the knee pads are sitting more on your shin. That is why there are usually bikes that you can sit on in every store. Use them.
Gloves are going to be a challenge for some people. I spent literally two hours in the shop trying on gloves before settling on a model. Same as with helmets, there are going to be gloves that have pressure points, ie from seams on the inside. If those create pressure or are chafing anywhere around your palm or fingers, those areas will go numb over time and/or become painful when the gloves rub and press against your skin. No bueno. Again I don’t care how awesome they may look. Sure, leather has some give in it over time but don’t rely on that. If seams keep pressing on your finger tips, no amount of give is going to „fix“ that. Your hands are your direct link to the bike and you don’t want to compromise that by wearing ill fitting gloves. You know what feels good for you. The rest is irrelevant. I am not a racing bike guy, yet the gloves that fit me best are racing gloves.
Do not get too stingy. Sure, you do not have to get a 1000 dollar helmet and a 1500 dollar jacket and 300 dollar boots and whatnot when you are starting out. My first set of riding gear was about 800 bucks total. But you WILL upgrade things over time when things wear out, or you get a good deal on an upgrade or you just decide to treat yourself.
For instance, I started out with a chain store brand for my first jacket and pants. Both are still OK. I still wear the jacket in colder weather but have since upgraded the pants to a pair from Modeka. My first boots were discounted entry level boots for around 120 from Held. They were okay boots, comfy and all but after a year of nearly everyday riding, they started to fall apart. So I upgraded to a pair of Daytona Road Star GTXs.
Probably the most important piece of advice for brand new young teenage riders: your riding gear will feel different than your normal street clothes. This is normal. It’s not like throwing on shorts, a t shirt and a pair of flip flops and calling it a day. The stuff is there to keep you alive and preventing you from getting road rash or worse. Wear ALL the gear all the time. It might save you from having a really bad day.
Seems like another complete new brainer but still.
Sorry for the long rambling post! 😅